News and Events

Department News 2014

Featured Story

SE Wisconsin Applied Chemistry Center-of-Excellence Established in the Department

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is pleased to announce that it will receive a $3 million grant under the University of Wisconsin System Incentive Grant Program. The grant proposal entitled “SE Wisconsin Applied Chemistry Center-of-Excellence” is a collaboration between UW-Milwaukee and UW-Parkside and was one of 12 grant proposals selected for funding from a total of 56 entries from UW institutions statewide.

The Incentive Grant Program is designed to strengthen the relationships between the UW System and Wisconsin businesses. As such, funded programs and activities are expected to support economic development programs, develop an educated and skilled workforce, and improve affordability of post-secondary education.

The Center addresses each of these program goals by connecting facilities, grants, and student internships. First, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry will establish a new analytical laboratory to accommodate collaborative research projects between industry and university scientists. The lab will be equipped with a suite of advanced analytical instrumentation with a focus on several mass spectrometers, with capabilities for identification and structural characterization of biomolecules, proteomics, and tissue imaging. The breadth of expertise provided in the Center and collaborating institutions extends into many chemistry fields, including drug discovery and development, analysis of environmental waters and soils, industrial processing, sensor development, and novel functional materials. In addition, grants of up to $100,000 each will be awarded for translational research to advance discoveries into potential products, i.e., those studies occurring between uncovering the discovery and commercial proof-of-concept. Grants will be awarded to faculty researchers who are teamed with a commercial partner working on economically compelling translational or applied research. Finally, the Center will coordinate internships to train undergraduate and graduate students with advanced instrumentation and prepare them for careers in chemistry industries. An innovative internship/professional transitions course for upper-level science undergraduates will be launched in the UWM Chemistry and Biochemistry Department in January 2014. Students who go on to a chemistry internship may receive tuition scholarships to offset the cost of course credit received from the internship experience.

The Center will greatly enhance the research and educational resources in SE Wisconsin and substantially increase chemistry expertise to support regional and state-wide industry.

Department News 2012

Featured Story

Peter Geissinger, Associate Professor

Sensing in a flash

Combines the fiberoptic, water-monitoring technology developed by chemist Peter Geissinger with a local business that helps industries treat their wastewater, and you have a sought-after solution that delivers at the speed of light. More information ...

Department News 2011

Xiaohua Peng, Assistant Professor

October 17, 2011

New Anticancer Agents Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment ... more information.

Graham Moran, Associate Professor

September 5, 2011

New Use for FDA Approved Drug-Treatment of Microbial Infections with NTBC ... more information.

Dennis Bennett, Professor

Summer 2011

Carolyn Aita, Wisconsin Distinguished Professor

March 12, 2011

UWM announces latest Catalyst research grants
Dr. Aita's research focuses nano-laminate coatings development that can be easily scaled up for manufacturing ... more information.

Alan Schwabacher, Associate Professor

February 2, 2011

Color outside the lines at UWM’s Science Bag
In “Hidden Colors Revealed” UWM chemist Alan Schwabacher will show various ways that color can be present, but not visible – or uncovered ... more information.

James Cook, UWM Distinguished Professor

January 25, 2011

Local startup secures option on UWM research
Wauwatosa-based Addiction Therapeutix has obtained exclusive patent option rights for future commercialization of a family compounds for the treatment of neuropathic pain developed by researchers at UWM ... more information.

Grants Awarded

September 2011

Dietz, Mark L.
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Brookhaven National Laboratory, $116,440Project: An Integrated Basic Research Program for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems based on Ionic Liquids